God Only Shall You Serve (Matt 4:1-11)

“Then said Jesus unto him, Get you hence, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve (vs10).”

It is written that we shall worship God in Jesus Christ, and not Satan. We will not go too far in this world, living in sin. We will not deny the gospel of God’s grace, but we will believe unto the end. We have been born again into, “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (I Pet 1:3-5).

The Son of God’s obedience was perfect. He never did anything wrong, never lifted up His soul in vanity, and only did what pleased God. Through His obedience, we BELIEVE God who gives us GRACE over sin (Rom 6:14).

First, we hunger in this world – “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry” (Matt 4:2). The Lord Jesus, because of sin, has pain to endure in this world that He did not bring upon Himself. The believer, just by being in this world has the TEMPTATION to take matters into our hands, because we have needs. But, like Christ, we do not, trusting God to care for us – “Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you” (I Pet 5:7). He knows what we need in marriage, in the family, in the job, and in every aspect of life. Thus, we live by HIS word, rather than by OUR needs and feelings, for He CARES for us.

Secondly, we don’t sin that grace might abound – “Jesus said unto him, It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God” (Matt 2:5-7). We don’t say, “God saves, so I’ll live unsaved. God forgives, so I will sin. And God gives power, so I’ll live as I see fit, and power is mine, if He wants me to have it”. No, we use God’s grace to SERVE God, which is how grace is received. We “reign in life” by the obedience of Christ and being justified by faith: God gives us His power over sin (Rom 5:17). The “sin that grace might abound” attitude does not believe God in truth. To believe God is to believe Him for His salvation, which is what He gives (Rom 10:13).

Someone says, “I believe on Christ, and now I can live in sin”, but to BELIEVE on Christ is to be SAVED by God with His salvation, revealed in the scripture. I can’t live in sin and say “saved by grace”.

Thirdly, We are tempted for a season, and then Satan departs, “Then the devil leaves him, and, behold, angles came and ministered unto him” (Matt 4:11). This LIFE is but a light affliction, because it is but a moment, and the DEVIL will depart eternally into the lake of fire (II Cor 4:17-18).

We are tempted down here, but not above what we can handle, for Christ is strength over sin and Satan. We have enough in God to defeat Satan, for we haven’t been left to our wisdom and the deceptions of Satan, for, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (I John 4:4).

Let us believe who we are in Christ, receive strength to worship God by the acceptance we have in the Beloved and by the redemption and forgiveness that we have received. Receive GRACE freely and GRACE will chase away Satan.

This is My Son In Whom I’m Pleased (Matt 2:9-3:17)

“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, & he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matt 3:16-17).”

IDENTIFICATION

God gives solid evidences that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. The star the wise men saw is likened unto the scriptures, which unfold Christ to us – “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; where unto you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, unt6il the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (II Pet 1:19-21). He gave us the law and the prophets to know Him when He came, so that He reveals Himself to us in the scriptures for assurance, unfolding Himself in the types and shadows, fulfilling God’s word by the work of His Person. He is the Immanuel, the Nazarite, the Son called from Egypt, the Cause of great sorrow, and in all things, by the gold, frankincense, and myrrh, He is rich in mercy, an intercessor, and the One God anointed King.

John the Baptist sees Him, and now so does we. Yes, the SAME God gives us the SAME miraculous persuasion. It is no miracle to SEE a man saved because it happens inwardly, but the miracle is REVEALED in the man’s walk, which is SALVATION. God DOESN’T save a man’s “soul”, but He saves the WHOLE man, reviving him until the day of Jesus Christ and KEEPING him obeying God (I Thess 5:23-24) God’s gospel is both inward and outward, starting in the heart by revelation, then by obedience manifesting the fruit of the Spirit.

1. The scriptures speak of Christ, pointing us to Him, and unfolding the beauty of the Son of God’s glory in redemption – “When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was” (Matt 2:9). The Christ is the One that saves having laid down His life to atone the sins of His people. He reconciles us to God, stands as the reason of every blessing, and rules over us in love, giving every grace needed to serve, being the cause of power.

Christ is who God says, and this revelation is given to WISE men made wise by Him humbling us of worldly wisdom, and causing us to confess the TRUTH of God to our own hurt (Ps 15:4).

2. The gold is the richness of His mercy, having mercy on whom He will and all that call upon Him (Rom 10:13). The frankincense is His praise and intercession for us, receiving what we need from God as the Mediator of the covenant (Numb 16:47-48). And, the MYRRH is His anointing by God to be Lord – “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (Matt 2:11). Jesus is God’s King who God put on the throne because it pleased Him. In the between the SINNER and the blessing is Jesus Christ’s mercy, Jesus Christ’s salvation, & Jesus Christ who’s Lord of all.

Believing on Him, we have all that we need.

3. The scriptures speak of Christ, when we don’t think they speak of Christ – “When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son” (Matt 2:14-15). If He fulfills it, then it speaks of Him. If it CAN apply to Him, it applies to Him, no matter whoever else it may apply to.

We are God’s elect, and so is He. We are His children, even being called His son, and so is He. In all things, even the scriptures, Christ has the preeminence as the Subject of all. The Scriptures aren’t Christ centered so much as they SPEAK of Him. They are not about Him here and there, but God’s gospel is all, or else we have law; it is Christ or death (I Tim 1:8-11).

4. God will kill people to identify the Son, even as He sends men to hell to save the elect, to drive us to His Beloved – “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under… Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, in Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not” (vs16-18). The world and the world of worlds is not enough to outweigh the glory of God who alone does right. The sinner made from dirt can strive with the sinner made from dirt, but let us keep our mouths at God (Is 45:9). Rather than argue with holiness that gave Christ to die and raised Him again, bow to the fact that if billions had to die to get you the gospel and if 100000 worlds had to be damned for you to believe, then it is no price too big. Regardless of whatever we think, God exalted Christ to the DESTRUCTION of all else. But, understand this, just as some have mourned, many have been comforted by the revelation. God’s goodness through MAN’S badness ends in showing Christ to us, even here. He controls all.

5. Christ dwells with sinners – “But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee” (Matt 2:22). When men pushed Him from them, He dwelt among the Gentiles and was a light in the dark as promised (Matt 4:15-16). Man’s sin didn’t stop His ministry, but He saves the BROKEN in heart. The sinner is no affront to the Savior; it is the proud that He abhors, but He dwells among those that believe Him (Is 57:2). They have failures, and yet trusting Him before God, these NOBODIES who blush to be praised, are the people that He reveals Himself unto. Be not afraid, Salvation has come to sinners like you and me.

6. You and I must believe the truth to be baptized. He says, “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy for repentance” (Matt 3:7-9). John forbade no one who wanted to confess, but he made clear what the confession must be, which is FAITH in Christ, who would come.

We can’t serve God on our terms. He saves with His salvation, and believing is CONFESSING that His SALVATION is yours.

7. We have either Christ or death, but no middle ground exist – “he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matt 3:10-12). Either He must save, or He must damn. Man cannot stand neutral, and He doesn’t either. He is either all to you, or all of Him is against you.

In wrath, God punishes unbelievers forever.

8. Hearing from Christ, we obey God – “Then comes Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. but John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of you, and come you to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him” (Matt 3:13-15). John refused Christ’s command, but when Christ unfolded His mystery, John obeyed. The invincible word of God puts obedience in us, and that is the hope as He’s exalted in the word, that He speaks and BRINGS obedience with Him.

He doesn’t wait on us to be gracious, but by His word, grace makes us bow to His pleasure. He does us good by speaking to us Himself and giving FAITH.